Detachable table top



March 30, 1954 C. C. HITCHCOCK DETCHABLE TABLE TOP Filed Jan. 5, 1950 IIIII 'I @IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII m H O IIII 5 O l B 2 Kra. v 0 2 f 9 3 3 2 42 1 ld K S .y C Y I. O E C N m H R .,Io C O. .H Y T M H T A Melkl l Pv. 2 I N m O K 6 T E .M 4 m L CH., R m w C lo 8 5 3 F m Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DETACHABLE TABLE TOP Carleton C. Hitchcock, St. Paul, Minn. Application January 3, 1950, Serial No. 136,630 7 Claims. (Cl. 155-128) The herein disclosed invention relates to tables and has for an object to provide a table top which may be readily attached to or removed from a chair.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a fitting permanently attached to the chair and to which the table top may be attached.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a bracket for supporting the table top and in forming on said bracket a 'connector for detachably securing the bracket to said f1tting.

Another object of the invention resides in providing arms on said bracket for engaging the legs on the chair to assist in supporting the table top and to steady the same.

An object of the invention resides in constructing said connector and iitting so that the bracket must be rotated from the position of use of the table top to procure disengagement of the table top from the chair.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention an ordinary folding chair has been shown which is constructed with a frame of inverted U-shape having spaced frame members forming the front legs of the chair and a support for the back rest. Pivoted to these frame members are the rear legs which together with said frame members support the seat of the chair.

The invention proper includes a tting having a socket provided with facing inwardly turned flanges at the outer end of the same. This fitting is permanently attached to one of the frame members of the frame. The invention further includes a table top which is mounted on a bracket having one arm extending along one of the frame members of said chair, and connected to the table top at the rearward portion of the same, and engaging one of the front legs of the chair, another arm connected to said first named arm and to said table top at the forward portion of the same and still another arm issuing from the first named arm and engaging one of the rear legs of the chair. On the first named arm of the bracket is a connector including a hub adapted to be received in the socket of said fitting and which has outwardly extending flanges adapted to engage beneath the anges on said tting. The flanges on said fitting are spaced from each other crcumferentially of the socket to receive the flanges of the hub, when the parts are brought into register which occurs when the table top is swung out of its position of use. When the table top is rotated into its position of use the said flanges restrain disengagement of the bracket from the fitting.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a folding chair illustrating the application of an embodiment of the invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the table top and bracket and illustrating the attaching hu'b and flanges, said View being drawn to a greater scale than Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the chair and the fitting and drawn to the same scale as Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view of a portion of the chair and table top taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and drawn to the same scale as Figs. 3 and 4.

'I'he chair shown in the drawing for the purpose of illustrating the invention is of the folding type and consists of a frame I0 constructed from channel-shaped stock and bent to form a loop I I at the upper portion of the same with frame members 49 and 5I) extending downwardly therefrom. The lower portions of these frame members form the front legs of the chair which are designated by the reference numerals I2 and I3. A cross bar I4 extends across the legs I2 and I3 at the lowermost portion thereof and another cross bar 41 near the upper ends of said legs which tie the legs together. In addition to the legs I2 and I3 two other legs I5 and I6 are employed which are constructed of the same material and which are pivoted to the legs I2 and I3 by means of rivets I l. The legs I5 and IB have extensions I8 secured thereto and which are pivoted by means of rivets I9 to the seat 20 of the chair. A cross bar 2l is also secured to the rear legs I 5 and I6 and holds the same in proper relation in addition to stiifening the lowermost portion of the chair. The rearward part of the seat 2li is pivotally connected by means of links 22 to the frame I il. For this purpose rivets 23 are employed which pass through said links and through the frame members 49 and 5I). Other rivets 24 are employed which pivot the said links to the seat 20.

The invention proper comprises a bracket 25 which carries a table top 26. This bracket is attached to a fitting 2l which is secured to the frame member 49 of the chair. These parts will now be described in detail.

The fitting 21 comprises a body 28 which is adapted to overlie the outer portion of the frame member e9 and which is constructed with a groove 29 for the reception of said frame member. A clamp plate 30 overlies the inner poriOn of the frame member 49 and is disposed between said frame member and the link 22. This plate is secured to the body 28 by means of screws 3| which pass through said plate and are screwed into the body 28. The body 28 has a socket 32 accessible from the exterior of the fitting. The body 28 of the fitting 21, as best shown in Fig. 4, has two flanges 33 arranged about the outer edge of the socket 32 and extending inwardly into the same. These flanges are spaced to leave openings 34 therebetween. The said flanges are at the outermost surface of the fitting. The tting 21 is permanently connected to the chair and remains attached during subsequent use of the chair with or without the table.

The bracket 25 is preferably constructed as a casting and consists of an arm 35 extending along and parallel with the frame member 49 of the chair. This arm has an upwardly extending portion 36 which is connected toa more or less horizontally extending arm 31. A downwardly extending arm 38 is connected to the arm 31 and to the arm 35 at its lower end.

The tabletop 2t is attached to the arm 31 of the bracket 25 by means of lugs 12. These lugs extend outwardly from the arm 31. Screws 43 extending through these lugs are screwed into the top 25. The top 25 may be constructed in any suitable shape and is preferably fabricated from wood.

On the arm 35 of bracket 25 is a connector 39 which is in the shape of a plate and which overand another arm connected to said rstnamed lies the tting 21. This connector has a hub t)v extending outwardly therefrom which is adapted to be received in the socket 32 in the body 2S of tting 21 and between the anges 33. The said hub has flanges di projecting outwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof and which are adapted to enter the openings 34 between the flanges 33. The flanges 4l are located as shown in Fig. 3. It will readily be comprehended that the iianges il can be made to register with the openings 34 when the bracket 25 is arranged as shown in dotted lilies in Fig. 4, thus permitting of inserting hub et into said socket, Upon rotation of the bracket to the position shown in Fig. l the iianges 4l become lodged in back of flanges and the bracket is held rigidly attached to the fitting 21. The fitting 21 andconnector 3S constitute a fastener for securing the upper portion of the bracket 25to the frame I8.

For further holding the bracket 25 attached to the chair the said bracket is formed with an arm 6.4 which extends rearwardly of the bracket and issues from the lower end of the arms 35 and 38. This arm has a hook which is adapted to hook on the leg l2 of the chair and another hook 4S adapted to hook on the leg l5of the chair. By means of this construction the lower end of the bracket 25 is supported on the legs of the chair and lateral movement of the bracket is prevented due to the arm 44 engaging both legs of the chair. The hooks 45 and 4B constitute other fasteners for securing the lower portion of the bracket 25 to legs of the chair.

Inthe use of the-invention the fitting 21 is maintained permanently attached to the chair. When itis desired to mount lthe table on the 4 chair the same is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 4 in dotted lines and the hub 40 directed into the socket 32. The table is then lowered until the hooks 45 and 4B engage the legs I2 and I5. The table is then firmly attached to the chair and may be used in the customary manner. In removing the table the reverse procedure is adopted.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The table can be constructed at a nominal expense and from materials readily available. The table is quickly applied to and removed from the chair. The table after being mounted on the chair is rigid and sturdy and has practically no lateral movement. When the table is removed from the chair the chair may be used in the customary manner. The fitting applied to the chair does not interfere with the collapsing of or extending of the chair in the intended manner.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

l. A table for attachment to a folding chair comprising a frame of inverted U-shape having spaced frame members forming the front legs and a back rest support and having rear legs pivoted to said front legs, said table comprising a table top, a bracket attached thereto, a fitting adapted to be attached to the portion of one of the frame members of the chair forming the back rest support, said bracket including an arm adapted to extend along one of said frame members, a connector on said arrn engaged with said fitting and engaging means on said arm adapted to engage one of the front legs of said chair arm and to said table top.

2. A table for attachment to a folding chair comprising a frame of inverted U-shape having spaced frame members forming the front legs and a back rest support and having rear legs pivoted to said front legs, said table comprising a table top, a bracket attached thereto, a fitting adapted to be attached to the portion of one of the frame members of the chair forming the back rest support said bracket including an armadapted to extend. along one of said frame members, a connector on said arm engaged with said tting, engaging means on said arm adapted to engage one of the front legs of said chair and another arm extending rearwardly from said first named arm and adapted to engage one of the rear legs of the chair.

3. A table for attachment to a folding chair comprising crossed front and rear legs with rearwardly extending extensions on the front legs and forwardly extending extensions on the rear. legs, said table comprising a bracket having a rearwardly inclined arm and an arm extending forwardly from the upper end of the rearwardly inclined arm, means including a fastener adapted to secure said rearwardly inclined arm near the upper portion thereof to one of said rearwardly extending extensions, means including a fastener adapted to secure said rearwardly inclining arm near the lower portion thereof to the front leg corresponding with said last denoted extension, and a table top secured to said second named arm.

4. A table for-attachment to a foldingA chair. comprising crossed frcntandrear legswith rear...

wardly extending extensions on the front legs and forwardly extending extensions on the rear legs, said table comprising a bracket having a substantially horizontally extending arm and an arm extending downwardly from the forward portion thereof, means including a fastener adapted to secure the rearward portion of said rst named arm to one of said rearwardly extending extensions, means including engaging means adapted to secure the second named arm near its lower end to the front leg corresponding with said last denoted extension, and a table top secured to said rst named arm.

5. A table for attachment to a folding chair comprising crossed front and rear legs with rearwardly extending extensions on the front legs and forwardly extending extensions on the rear legs, said table comprising a bracket having a rearwardly inclined arm and an arm extending upwardly from the lower end thereof, means including a fastener adapted to secure said rearwardly inclining arm near the upper portion thereof to one of said rearwardly extending extensions, means including engaging means adapted to secure said rearwardly inclining arm near the lower portion thereof to the front leg corresponding with said last ydenoted extension, a table top and means for securing said table top to the upper ends of both of said arms.

6. A table for attachment to a folding chair comprising crossed front and rear legs with rearwardly extending extensions on the front legs and forwardly extending extensions on the rear legs, said ta'ble comprising a bracket having a portion adapted to lie adjacent the rearwardly extending extension of one front leg and another portion adapted to lie adjacent said front leg, a fastener connected to said rst named portion of said bracket and adapted to secure said bracket to said extension, means issuing from said second named portion of said bracket and having two engaging means, one of said engaging means being adapted to engage said last denoted front leg and the other engaging means being adapted to engage the corresponding rear leg, said last named engaging means restraining lateral movement of the bracket and a table top mounted on said bracket.

7. A table for attachment to a folding chair comprising crossed front and rear legs with rearwardly extending extensions on the front legs and forwardly extending extensions on the rear legs, said table comprising a bracket having a portion adapted to lie adjacent the rearwardly extending extension of one front leg and another portion adapted to lie adjacent said front leg, a fastener connected to said first named portion of said bracket and adapted to secure said bracket to said extension, means issuing from said second named portion of said bracket and having two hooks, one of said hooks being adapted to engage said denoted front leg and the other of said hooks being adapted to engage the corresponding rear leg, said hooks restraining lateral movement of the bracket and a table top mounted on said bracket.

CARLETON C. HITCHCOCK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 431,389 Peard July 1, 1890 1,661,937 Fischer Mar. 6, 1928 1,704,712 Silverman s Mar. 12, 1929 1,838,935 Fixsen Dec. 29, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 184,580 Switzerland June 15, 1936 

